1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of packaging containers, and more specifically to retail ready containers that are suitable for both shipping a product to a retail establishment and displaying the product to consumers at the retail establishment.
2. Description of the Related Technology
A retail ready container is recognized in the packaging and shipping industries as a container that can perform the dual functions of holding products during the supply chain transportation process and displaying the products in a retail environment. Such containers are typically fabricated from corrugated fiberboard, which is a paper-based material that includes a fluted corrugated sheet and two flat linerboards.
Although retail ready containers have been in commercial use for several decades, conventional retail ready container designs tend to have several disadvantages that prevent them from achieving widespread acceptance among retailers. Corrugated containers may be designed to have a finished surface, such as by including an additional layer of paper on one or both sides, in order to enhance the attractiveness of the container in a retail environment. However, the outside surface of a container can become scratched or marred during the transportation process, resulting in an unsightly appearance that a retailer may find objectionable. Special handing or shrouding of the containers during shipping is not commercially feasible in many instances due to the additional expense.
From a manufacturing and assembly standpoint, many retail ready container designs require assembly from multiple container blanks and multiple gluing and/or taping steps during assembly of the container, which tends to make deployment of such containers more expensive then would otherwise be expected. Many such containers cannot be machine-assembled, meaning that the cost of labor can make the container prohibitively expensive. However, suppliers are being pushed by retailers to supply packaging that is dual purpose. Such containers must be converted from a shipping to a display configuration without any knives or tools into a display case that can be easily placed on a shelf.
A need accordingly exists for an improved retail ready container that is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, and that provides protection during the shipping and manufacturing process against damage to the surfaces that will be visible to consumers in a retail environment.